Blog (Page 108)
Daily Devotions
Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground!” vs. 7 Amos 5:6-7 Amos, a shepherd from Judea, had heard a call from the Lord to go to Israel (the Northern Kingdom) during their golden years. He came first to observe, and he was not impressed. The nation was experiencing unprecedented prosperity and the wealthy were rolling in cash–many were having to use their imaginations to figure out how to spend it all. Building programs were…
Daily Devotions
But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.’” vs. 14 Mark 10:13-16 There is some evidence in scripture that Jesus may have been involved in baptisms during his ministry, but there is no indication that he baptized little children or even advocated such a thing. He didn’t know about infant baptism, though…
Daily Devotions
But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” vss. 6-8 Mark 10:2-12 Through the millennia, as humans figured out how men and women should interact, polygamy was a logical option, one that became the standard for much of the world, including the patriarchs…
Daily Devotions
As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” vss. 8b-9 Hebrews 2:5-12 Psalm 8 had said that humans were created a little lower than angels and had been crowned with glory and honor. The…
Daily Devotions
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.” vss. 1-2 Hebrews 1:1-4 The folks who were writing epistles and gospels in the early Christian congregations understood that something substantial had happened in Jesus. It wasn’t just that he was a gifted teacher from Nazareth or that…
Daily Devotions
Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.” vs. 5 Psalm 8:5-9 It may be that we have offered up, “Well, I’m only human,” as an excuse for one of our mistakes or errors of judgment. The psalmist would likely have countered, “What more do you want to be?” In his estimation being human was as good as it gets in the universe, just a notch lower than Divinity. And on…
Daily Devotions
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4 Psalm 8:1-4 This psalmist was a thinker! He was likely well aware of the creation stories and accepted that the Lord had brought all things into existence. But the improbability of what he believed was more than his little mind could comprehend.…
Daily Devotions
Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’” vs. 18 Genesis 2:18-24 The second of the two Hebrew creation stories paints a picture of God that is dear to our hearts. Here we see the Divine Presence, not as the transcendent creator of all things, but as a down-to-earth God who gives to humanity the breath of life. And more than that, those ancient…
Daily Devotions
For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” vss. 49-50 Mark 9:42-50 In the ancient world salt was enormously valuable, not only for its flavor, but for its value as a preservative. For that reason it became a natural metaphor for Jesus, along with fire, as he described how faith can grow and endure in…
Daily Devotions
For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.” vs. 41 Mark 9:38-41 The disciples were thrilled to be a part of the Jesus brigade but they didn’t have a clue about what that involved. They were applying the world’s standards to the Peaceable Kingdom and believed that they had become insiders by following Jesus. It was a pretty small group,…
Daily Devotions
Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” vs. 16 James 5:16-20 It has become common for believers to speak of the personal relationship that they have with Jesus. We have learned to talk in this fashion because some religious leaders have had a fixation on what might be called individual salvation. They teach that “going to heaven” requires each person…
Daily Devotions
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.” vs. 13 James 5:13-15 James imagines that the community to which he is writing has close connections, not only to other members of the community, but to God, the Divine Presence and Source of all Being. This means, he believes, that in every situation of life the people will turn to God, not only with prayers for healing when there is suffering, but…